JPH0362719A - Tuning system and signal selection system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To prevent the entire time for channel change from being unnecessarily prolonged by allowing a tuning system controller to store labels in a label memory area in an alphabetical order. CONSTITUTION: A microcomputer 110 is provided with a program memory to store channel related data in a random access memory(RAM) 120. At the time of tuning a desired channel, a user inputs an optional convenient label to help it. At a program part for inputting labels, the labels are arrayed in an alphabetical order and the lines of the respective labels are correctly ordered in order to facilitate retrieving search for channel selection. When the labels are stored in the alphabetical order, search is much faster than that in the case of storing them irregularly.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to the field of tuner controllers for television receivers (general term including VCR) and radios.

[Relationship with related applications]

This invention was developed by David Jaf, whose name is ``Tuner control device with label-based tuning function''.
Mr. Duffj-e]-d) and Mr. Beyar (BLey Wes)-ey Beyar
This relates to the application filed by Mr. S., Jr.

[Background of the invention]

There are at least three major broadcast networks in the United States1.
- Work (e.g. ABC, NBC, O'2 and CBC)
together with a large number of wired (capable network networks 1-works (e.g., HBO, ESPN, C main nemax,
etc.] and Ashi, each supplying broadcast television programs nationwide. Many viewers seek to enjoy their favorite television programs through the networks that broadcast them. A common problem that arises is that the number of channels available is
2: Since there are many channels in C', it is difficult for viewers to remember which channel number corresponds to which network. For example, in some parts of the United States, the audience is 40
It is necessary to access a large number of stations on different channels.

Therefore, although it is a widely used method, it is not preferable to select a channel by channel number in such a case.

Furthermore, in places like rltchill and mochill, customers are often unfamiliar with the local channel numbers. A customer's known big network 1-Work's favorite program (hereinafter referred to as
If you want to watch a TV program, you will have a hard time finding a suitable local channel that the major network 1-work owns and has a special relationship with. To complicate this problem, cable broadcasting companies such as US VC have begun replaying their broadcast signals onto channels with different RF channels than the signals normally occupy. The fact is that modulation has become commonplace.
This will also confuse viewers. That is,
For example, the UHF channel 29 has been remodulated (converted to a lower frequency range) so as to occupy the frequency range of, for example, the VHF channel 9. Therefore, even if a viewer happens to know that the FOX broadcast network is channel 29 (as it is on the FOX network), the signal being transmitted on this channel 29 is actually received on the wired channel 9. In such a case, the viewer may find it difficult to press the button to search for the desired program.

A common solution to this problem is to distribute channel conversion tables to cable subscribers, who can then use a printed television station list to determine the correct address given to a given standard broadcast channel. The purpose is to be able to find wired channels. This solution is not satisfactory due to the large number of receivable channels.

Additionally, there are other problems because the channel numbers assigned to large broadcast networks are not the same throughout the country. For example, New York City's National Broadcasting Company (NB) broadcasts on Channel 4, Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) on Channel 3, Cincinnati (Ohio) on Channel 5, and Dayton. (Ohio) broadcasts on Channel 11.Manufacturers of television receivers cannot know in advance in which areas their receivers will operate, so they depend on the choice of network name. It is not possible to preprogram the tuning system at the factory to select a particular channel.

Manufacturers have also made efforts to relate channel numbers to network names. For example, displaying a station identification label (pre-entered by the user or John receiver CU C-2400. However, since the channel selection for this system is based on channel number, the user must remember which channels are assigned to which networks.

Accordingly, it would be desirable for television manufacturers to provide handheld remote control units that allow viewers to select channels by network name.

US Pat. No. 4,706,121 (invented by Mr. Young) discloses a label tuning system. However, Young's invention does not provide a means by which the user can enter his or her selections for either display or channel selection. In Young's invention, these labels are supplied by the broadcast station as part of the TV, X, schedule that is transmitted to the home tuner controller. Labels such as the HBO button and ESPN are displayed as menus for selection by the user. Such systems require expensive and disjoint circuitry. More importantly, it would require the broadcaster's ability to provide limited space for transmitting its schedule information.

Given the desirability of a label-based tuning system, it is necessary to address the memory requirements of such a system. Specifically, the memory must be non-volatile so that the label list entered by the user is maintained during a power outage.

However, non-volatile memories, such as EEPROM (Electrically Erase and Programmable Read Only Memory),
is a relatively long “memory write” (storage) time ()<40:l:! J second class) is required. It also requires relatively long memory read times (on the order of 500 microseconds per byte). During a synchronous channel change operation by Hubble, it is necessary to search for a label line I- to obtain a match. and each character of
It is necessary to compare the 1's that match each other. In view of the required read time of the memory described above, such a search would add an undesirable amount of time to the total time required to perform a channel change.

[Summary of the invention]

A tuning system is provided which allows input rows and outputs to be tuned to a particular channel to be tuned. The user can then select the channel to tune to by entering its label. The tuning system controller minimizes the label search time associated with a channel change by storing the labels alphabetically in the label memory area to avoid unnecessarily lengthening the total time required for a channel change. Make it.

In another embodiment of the invention, the tuner controller is provided with a schedule that the user of the TV program may enter, such as an abbreviation of the name of a television program, to be combined with the already input glyphing information. It is included. Thereafter, each time that label is entered, the TV program will be automatically scheduled for future recording (in the case of VCH) or viewing (TV (I Region Sera 1-0)). .

[Detailed explanation]

The television receiver shown in No. 1211 has high frequency (R
F) There is an antenna 100 that receives the signal and provides it to a tuner device 102. The tuner device 102 controls the fLIJ? of the tuner controller 104. Select and increase/separate specific RF signals under 8. The controller 104 functions to supply an IF range switching signal and a tuning voltage signal to the tuner device 102.

Tuner device 102 converts the received RIi' signal into an intermediate frequency (F) signal and provides a F output signal to F amplifier and detector 108 . The IF amplifier and detector 108 amplifies the IF signal applied to its input terminal and detects the video information contained therein. The detected video information is provided to video signal switch 109 as one input thereof. The other input is coupled to a baseband video input terminal Ill to which an external video source, such as a VCH, is connected. Video Shinchin Nuitsuchi 1
09 (J2) equalizes the control human power C to accept the switching control signal,
Its output terminal is coupled to one input of a video signal processing unit 122, and the other input of the housing unit 122 is coupled to an on-screen display circuit 124. ■The F amplifier and the detector 108 are processed by the selected audio channel (not shown).The tuner controller 104 is
System control microcomputer (MO) 11
The tuning voltage signal and band switching signal f are generated according to the control signal applied from 0 to 0. The microcomplexer 11o also generates a switching control signal for the video signal switch 109. The terms microcomputer and microprocessor are common terms in this M-type. The microcomputer 11O accepts user-issued commands from an infrared receiver 116 and a keyboard 11B attached to the television receiver itself. Microcomputer 110 has a program memory (ROM) (not shown) and stores channel related data in random access memory (RAM) 120. BAM 120 may be volatile or non-volatile;
This word includes ROM.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that when volatile memory is used, it is desirable to use a suitable form of standby power to preserve the memory contents when the receiver is turned off. The television receivers just described are, for example, Thomson Conciema Ellen 1-Loniff, Inc., Indiana, Indiana.
homson Con・summer E top electro
nj-cs, engineering nc,)i's RcA c'rc
A 140-inch color television receiver chassis is well known. Next, this invention will be explained in detail.

The receiver 116 is, for example, shown as 200 in FIG. A hand-held remote control unit with a keyboard such as I-128Vc receives the R signal.

The keyboard 200 includes keys 202 for inputting digital numbers l-0 to 9, keys 203 for inputting channel up/down commands, and keys 20 for turning on/off the receiver.
I have 4. The remote control keyboard 200 has a section TE with keys 206 (labeled ON) and keys 208 (labeled EN-TER) that describe its operation.
I also have an XT. ” Each key in the second and third columns and the 5 in the fourth column
The keys have a subscript 'f' indicating the second function of each key:
have.

When the TEXTON key 206 is depressed, the keys are activated and used to enter alphabetic characters, punctuation marks, the 5PACE character, and the EACKSPACE commands. It becomes like this. The first function of each key (THK-T
RK+, etc.) are not directly related to this invention, so their explanation will be omitted. Handheld remote control unit 128 contains electronic circuitry (not shown) for encoding the signals to be transmitted according to the particular key pressed.

Next, the operation of the apparatus shown in the first rotation and FIG. 2, and the display screen illustrated in FIGS. 3a to 3e will be explained with reference to FIG. The present invention takes advantage of the on-screen display feature already used, for example, by the aforementioned RCA CT-140 television receiver.

(IJ) h Figure 3a shows that the user presses S on the remote control keyboard 9QQ.
TA, TUS (Status) key 210 (7) 5T-
CTC! in response to the engineering R signal sent when the ATU'S key is pressed! 1 illustrates a status display node 1 displayed by a 140-140 television receiver. This status display includes time, tuning station, and 'sleeve feature'.
provides information regarding whether the antenna connector is activated and which of the two antenna connectors is selected to provide the RF multiplied signal to the (ANTB) tuner. FIG. 3b shows a label (in this case the station's call sign WT) immediately below the channel number according to the invention.
Figure 2 shows a status display screen modified to display HNJ. The label (WTHN) associated with Channel 'It No. (13) K is entered by the user (key input) as described below. In theory, this label is the call sign of the broadcasting station. The label does not have to represent a character, but can be any alphanumeric label consisting of one to four arbitrary characters representing a letter, number, or punctuation mark. Any convenient label can be entered to help tune in to Chat Jv.

To enter a channel name and its associated song into memory, use the CHANNEL MEMORY (Figure 3C) button.
Channel! memory) display is used. 0f (ANN angle L MEMOR'Y SCR'FJE
N (channel memory screen) is MY2NLI SET [ of the remote control unit keyboard 200]
It is displayed by activating the JP (Menu Sera) key 212. In the example of Figure 3c, channel 1
3 has already been added with a value WTHR stored for display. Explanation shown below the display ' TEX
TON”TOSET ID
[Set ID] is used to add an additional value to the QHANNEL MEMORY display of a particular channel, or to change a previously entered label, if the user so desires. To enter text input mode, press T on the remote control unit's keyboard 200.
This is an instruction to the user to press the EX, T ON key 206. TEXT ON key 206
When you press , the display shown in Figure 3 d' appears.

The first character position of the label in FIG. 3d is an indicator symbol that acts as a cursor to indicate the label position to be filled by the next character to be pressed. This displayed dash can be alternated with one character (in this case, W) in the label that was input previously, so that the user can pay more attention to the character color @ to be filled. 3rd CI diagram VC trivia explanation” X X CHAN
'S L, EE'T'' from NEL (XX is actually a number) indicates to the user the Soubène boats remaining in the label memory.

FIG. 4 shows the necessary and related parts of the key code decoding routine of the microcomputer 110, which are input in step 400 from the bottom part (19) of the keyboard decoding routine. The accepted key code is T]!, which was sent in response to the divine pressure on key 206 of remote control keyboard 200. ;X'I' It is checked whether it is an ON code (step 405). If so, whether channel information is currently stored in memory 120 (i.e., CHA NNEL ME
Is MORY Nuclean displayed? A check is made regarding the If the channel number is then stored, the program displays a label for programming the TEKINUT-IN-CANUTARIN as shown in FIG. 3d (step 415).

However, if the label is not in the process of being memorized, it is assumed that text is being entered for the purpose of tuning into a new channel, and the display screen will display the 3rd e.
The Attunement Text Human Turtle Clean by Label is displayed as shown (step 420) and the routine exits.

Since the next key code to be accepted is a text character, the program takes the NO route from the decision symbol 405 to the decision symbol (No. 2 425) and determines whether the key code accepted in the decision symbol 425 is a text character. A check is made to see if the keycode is the fourth text character, then a check is made to see if the program is in text input mode (
Step 430). If you are not in text input mode, an error message will appear on the display screen (
Step 435 Nogroghum normally reaches the exit. Also, if the 10-gram is in text input mode (step 430), a new character is appended to the current label being keyed in (step 440) (or becomes the first character of a new label).

On the other hand, if the accepted key code is not actually intended for a text character (Nutetub 425), the NO route is taken and the decision mark 445 is entered. At the decision mark 445, it is determined whether the key code corresponds to the T angle XT ENTI7R (text entry key code 208). No. n/L/(21) Reach the exit via Chin (7-step 450).If T
EXT ENTER key is decrypted! ba (step 4
45), TIJNE-BY'-LABEL A check is made to see if the TIJNE-BY'-LABEL nucleus has been displayed (step 455). If so, the program assumes that the user has completed entering the label and begins a search to see if the label is present in memory 120 (step 460). If the label does not exist in memory 120, “LAB -EL NOT FOU
An ``ND'' (``Label not found'') message is displayed (step 465).

If the label is found in step 460, tune to the channel corresponding to this label.
BY2L If the screen (Figure 3d) is not currently displayed, LABEL P, ROGRAMMING
(WAVE/PROGRAMMING) A check is made to see if the clean is displayed (Figure 3C) (step 475). If not, (
z2) Appropriate F-Message is displayed (step 480)
). However, if LABEL PROGRAMM
If NuClean is not displayed (step "475")
), is checked to see if the already labeled current channel has a vector jV associated with it (step 485). If so, the old label is erased (step 490), the new label is stored (step 495), and the routine exits (step 498). If the channel does not have a Hube IV (Nutebu 485), the program proceeds to Mechitub 495 to store the new label.

Regarding the label-based tuning system described above, searching memory for a match with a particular label is “
Tuning by channel number is not necessary in the device and will increase the total tuning time when changing channels. You must do a 4-letter ratio between them (23) to ensure that they match the label.Then, this label is either the channel number or
It must be converted into data representing either the oscillator frequency or the magnitude of the tuning voltage.

It will be appreciated that the label data entered by the user may be stored irregularly, eg, in the order in which they were entered, or in some logical sequence. If this data is stored irregularly in the label memory area, and the button or natch moves away from the beginning of the label memory area and proceeds from label I to label, then the search period is・Specific Fiber
It changes depending on the position, although it is not desirable.

That is, if the search column line is found at the first position searched, the search will be completed in the minimum possible time. On the other hand, if the label you are trying to search is found at the end of the memory location (=J
If so, the search should end in the longest possible time.

Viewers are frustrated by a tuning system that operates so fast that there is very little or no difference in tuning speed between different channel numbers (2D), so they look for the label in memory. It is desirable to minimize the time required for the synchronization, so as not to unnecessarily increase the total tuning period.This point becomes more important as the number of stored labels increases.

It can be seen that blogging of labels associated with a desired channel occurs with a comparatively low frequency, while searches associated with channel changes occur with a higher frequency. From this perspective, it can be seen that the programming speed may be reduced in order to increase the label search speed during channel changes.

Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 5a and 5b, the program part for inputting the numbers is such that the numbers are arranged in alphabetical order and easy to search for selection of each number. Create a memory structure that aligns the lines correctly.

For example, for a three-letter label, A, B, C,
It can be seen that the user can enter it as “-ABC” or ABC-”.
ABC". This (25) prevents the user from being confused about the location of the Nuveine letters and also positions the displayed number further towards the right-hand portion of the display screen. This results in less interference with the displayed image.The length of the cursor is 1 to 4 characters.

Four-character labels are stored higher in memory (further from the starting point of memory) than three-character labels, and so on. Looking at Figure 5a, we see 13 labels and their (C
The associated channel number is located at location 50 in memory 500.
1-513 (C, respectively) are stored in alphabetical order. The most recently entered three-letter label is shown stored in a "holding" memory location 520 in preparation for storage. In FIG. The newly entered W K "f W is correctly stored in memory location 510. The leading 7. base is the ASCII character (20...hexadecimal number (HE
It should be noted that X), 32... decimal) represents a value that can be used for comparison. Therefore,
The viewer thinks that KYW is a three-letter label, but in reality, the (26) program treats it as a four-letter label by finding the numerical value of the ASC value of its leading space and applying the ratio 11iQ.

If the labels are stored alphabetically, searches can be made much faster than if they are stored irregularly. This is because - once the labels are arranged in that order, a binary search can be performed. The two-minute search here refers to the label/
This is a search in which a memory area is divided into two parts and one part is excluded based on comparison with the label being searched. This process is repeated for the accepted portion of the label memory at 1 where the desired location is found. Next, the bisection search will be explained by way of example with reference to FIGS. 5a and 5b.

As mentioned above, the short search period described above comes at the cost of requiring more storage time. Referring again to Figures 5a and 5b and the flowchart f in Figure 6, the labels stored in positions 510 to 513 in Figure 5a are replaced with new labels stored in position 510. are read and rewritten to the memories 511-514, respectively, to make room for the data. The flowchart of FIG. 6 details the eleven program block 495 (new label n'In) of the flowchart of FIG. This portion of the program is entered at step 600. Comparison position B holds the accepted key code and
This corresponds to the holding position 520 in figure a. Microcomputer 110 maintains a record of the number of flips entered by the user. At step 610, the maximum required WL range of the level memory to be searched is determined at memory location UL (
is determined by storing the number of labels entered (i.e. the highest position requiring inspection) in the upper limit) and the number 1 (i.e. the lowest label memory location) in the memory location LL (lower limit). . If υL is not equal to LL (Nuteb 615 J, the search has not yet converged, the N,0 path leads to step 620, where the integer part of the average of the upper and lower bounds above (i.e., (
By traversing the integer part of UT-1-LL)/2, the current (2B) center position of label memory 500 is determined. The current center label in the mail is read and placed in location A (step 625).
, its contents are compared in steps 630-645 with the contents of holding position B on a base of characters "kJ".

In each of steps 630-645, if the label in memory has a lower ASC value than the newly entered label, the A(B path is followed in step 655).
Move to. In step 655, the center value at that time - t1
is stored in the lower limit memory location (LL). This means that the current center value button and all positions below it are discarded, and the entire memory area is divided in half. The program then loops back through method block 615 to see if it has converged, and if not, calculates a new central value in step 620. Nutetsubu 630-
645, if it is determined that the value entered by the user is less than the center value in memory, then the center value -1 is stored in the upper memory location (LJ'L) (step 6
60). As a result, by discarding the central value at that time and all positions above υ, the remaining memory C(29) is divided into half't). The program looks at the label like this
Alternatively, the last upper limit position (that is, the value of U' L at that time) is the point at which all labels on the box or υ move one label position upward (far from the starting point) (step 665). : LL Until it converges into a roaring state,
continue. This creates space for inserting a new label at the proper location in memory so that the contents of the label memory ascend alphabetically (step 670). Among them, if the newly entered label is found to exactly match the label already stored in memory (i.e., all steps 630-645
= B path is taken), the program proceeds to step 665 to create space in the label memory and store it (the duplicate label will have a different number associated with it). but). Of these duplicate labels, the first one encountered during the two-minute search period is the one that is tuned. This special? & is provided with the idea that viewers (30) can receive the same program through two different channels, one on the same network and one on the same network. In other words, the same label can be assigned to each channel by the user.

Inserting the label shown in Figures 5a and 5b requires 20 read operations of memory 500 and 20 write operations to memo IJ 500 (i.e., one character) to clear the label memory location. and 91 reads and 1 memory operation per channel number), plus 5 memory operations to memorize the new label and new channel number (
That is, the Nuveine character must also be stored in memory). (1) When the number of labels to be unique is large, and when using non-volatile memory such as E]D,P orψ (Tindentically erasable memory is read-only memory) ( Usually, if the memory writing time is long, the time required to make the memory unique is several seconds. However, as mentioned above, compared to the number of times the label storage process is performed (31), the number of times the label storage process is performed is small, so the delay in the label storage process is due to the tuning part. This is a good compromise with the advantage of ensuring fast search times for fj M.

FIG. 7 shows the details of the judgment symbol 460 in FIG. 4. This part of the control program is a two-minute algorithm used during the label tuning process. Nutep 700 to 760 are operated in the same manner as Nutep 700 to 760 which are numbered similarly (however, the first to third digits 6 and 7 are different) in FIG. This routine has two exits, 7
50 corresponds to a YES path from decision symbol 460 (ie, a matching label was found in memory) and 775 corresponds to a NO path from decision symbol 460 (ie, no label was found). As mentioned above, if a label is found, the associated label is iMo! J
Color reading (JJ and used to tune to desired channel).
) (American standard code for information exchange...America
nS andard Code for Inf
ormatヱ0]〕 工interchalige)
It is understood that there are other codes that have a satisfying function, even though it is coded as A9.

Furthermore, it should be noted that modern television monitors/receivers have a connector for baseband video signals and a connector for baseband audio signals, for example to combine codes from a VOR. . In FIG. 1, terminal 111 is such a video signal connector; the audio signal connector is not shown. It is included in the idea of the present invention to enable such a connecting word with the outside to be selected by a label. For example, the video signal connector and audio input connector 'A' may be assigned the label VCR, TAPE-1, or any other label convenient to the user. Upon acceptance of this pneumatic band selection signal, controller 110 causes selection of this pneumatic band signal to be performed in a manner well known in, for example, the aforementioned CTC-140 type television receiver.

(33)

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a 10-step diagram of a tuning section of a door-to-door revision receiver suitable for carrying out this invention f: Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a keyboard of a hand-held remote control unit suitable for carrying out this invention, Fig. 3a Figures 3 through 3 are diagrams showing display screens generated by the circuit of Figure 1, Figure 4 is a flowchart of a program used in addition to the circuit of Figure 1 to carry out the invention, and Figure 5 is a flowchart of a program used in conjunction with the circuit of Figure 1 to carry out the invention. A diagram showing a memory configuration formed using the flowchart in Figure 4, Figure 6 is a detailed view of part of the flowchart in Figure 4, and Figure 7 is a detailed view of other parts in the flowchart in Figure 4. In the diagram. 100...RF input terminal, 102.104 button and 10
8... Tuning means (tuner device, tuner control Fm>
and detector), 110...control means (system control microcomputer), 111...baseband input terminal (baseband video input terminal), 116, l
data input means (infrared receiver, keyboard and remote control unit, 120...
・Memory means (Fundum Acme Memory)

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) an input terminal for receiving a plurality of RF signals; and a tuning means coupled to the input terminal for selecting a particular RF signal from the plurality of RF signals in response to a tuner control signal; memory means for storing label data representing a label consisting of characters and tuning data associated with each channel for tuning each channel; and generating said label data and tuning data under the control of a user. data input means coupled to said data input means for determining a numerical value of said label data, storing said label data in said memory means in alphabetical order, and said synchronization in said memory means during a programming period; control means for storing data; the control means retrieves tuning data corresponding to the specific channel to be tuned from the memory means in accordance with label data corresponding to the specific channel to be tuned; There is a tuning system. (2) an RF input terminal for receiving a plurality of RF signals; and a tuning means coupled to the input terminal for selecting a specific RF signal from the plurality of RF signals in response to a tuner control signal; a baseband input terminal for receiving a band signal; and memory means for storing label data representing a label consisting of at least one alphabetic character in alphabetical order and tuning data associated with each channel for tuning to each channel; one of the labels is associated with the baseband input terminal for selecting the baseband signal, and further generates the label data and tuning data under user control. a data input means coupled to the data input means to calculate the numerical value of the label data;
During the programming mode, in said memory means:
control means for storing said label data in alphabetical order and said tuning data and for retrieving said data for selecting one of said signals from said memory means in response to label data input by a user; A signal selection system comprising: